CARD: Wild Card World League 1992
ACQUIRED: TTM 2019, C/o Home
SENT: 10/5/19 RECEIVED: 7/26/25 (2121 days)
FAILURE: TTM 2025, C/o Home

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

• Corian Freeman played LB for the Seminoles of FSU from 1986-’90.
• Over his college career he posted 91 total tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 3 fumble recoveries, and a pick.
• He signed with the Atlanta Falcons in 1991 but didn’t make the squad with them or the Cards the following year.
• Selected by the Sacramento Surge in the 1992 World League Draft in the 9th round.
• Had a pick and 3 sacks for the Surge while seeing action in every game for the eventual World Bowl Champs.
• After the World League reorganized, hopped over to the CFL and signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
• Posted 14 tackles and an improbable 96 yard interception return for a TD before being traded to the Sacramento Gold Miners that year.
• Played one final season with the Gold Miners in ’94, racking up 22 tackles, 4 sacks and a pick.

NOTES:

Well Corian is one of those rare ones where as I sent off to him again some 5+ years later, he responded to me. I suspect it was partially because my recent collaborator, Brent, got a success on him and it prompted him to look through his TTM.

Anyway, I got a nice note from Corian apologizing for the wait and saying he meant to get this out much, much earlier than this. I thought that my second TTM attempt from 2025 would return later, but instead I got an RTS with a wrong address sticker on it.

CARDS: Adrenalyn 2009 Extra, Adrenalyn 2010, Bowman’s Best 2000, Bowman’s Best 2001, Collectors Edge 2000, Donruss Classic 2004, Donruss Classic 2006, Donruss Elite 2004, Donruss Elite 2009 Chain Reaction Black, Fleer Showcase 2003, Leaf 2000, Panini Phoenix 2018 Adrenalin, Panini Classics 2016 Monday Night Moves, Playoff Contenders 2003, Donruss Gridiron Gear 2009, Panini Threads 2009, Panini Ultra 2016, Panini Vanguard 2000, Playoff Prestige 2004, Playoff Signatures 2002, Playoff 2006, Score 2001, Skybox Dominion 2000, SP 2001, SPx 2004 Winning Materials, SPx 2003, Topps Heritage 2003, Upper Deck 2000 Piece of History, Upper Deck 2001 Vintage, SPx 1999 Authentic, Upper Deck 2000 Ionix, Upper Deck 2002 MVP
ACQUIRED: IP, 2025

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

• See Ricky Williams

NOTES:

Well after a long wait, Ricky appeared again in… 2023- but I missed him. I didn’t realize he showed up early- and pretty much was leaving as I came in, again putting my cards on hold. I kicked myself over it, but really, is that what it’s about?

Fast forward to 2025. I finally got a last second notification of an event he was appearing at, and I was not going to miss it. He was promoting a mocktail and they were giving away samples at an HEB, so I packed my stuff, sent out the notifications to all the friends who would be interested and went.

Mark G contacted me and had me stop by his house. I picked up his cards along the way and met him there. I was the first person in line and Ricky was pretty happy to see me. We talked for a bit and caught up. When the gatekeeper came over and asked me to move along after 10 or so autographs, Ricky said, “It’s no big deal. I’m not going anywhere.” I got back into line and went through multiple times- and we just kept chatting. I ended up giving him one of my trading cards with my contact information, and told him if he just wanted to hang out to HMU.

In total Ricky signed 65 cards for me. The lines were not long and by the time I got to him for the 4th or 5th time, there was almost nobody in line. Now… You’re looking at this and saying, “Wait a minute… There’s not 60 cards here!” -That’s true. I cleared out ALL the favors and SHiLs I had over the years, and gave away almost half of them to members of my Facebook group.

I’ve always said to share the wealth, but the best gift you can get- is one that you do not expect. Thanks again Ricky! I’m reloading already!

CARDS: Topps 1982, Topps 1983
ACQUIRED: TTM 2025, C/o Home
SENT: 5/27 RECEIVED: 7/5 (39 days)
FAILURE: TTM 2022, C/o Home

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

• Gifford Nielsen played QB at BYU from 1975-’77.
• In 1976 he finished 6th in Heisman Trophy voting, leading the WAC in nearly every statistical category.
• He completed 207 of 372 passes for 3192 yards with 29 TDs to 19 picks that year- which were considered titanic numbers for that era of football.
• 3rd round pick in 1978 of the Houston Oilers.
• Was backup quarterback nearly his entire career, first to Dan Pastorini, then to Ken Stabler, and then later shared QB duties with Oliver Luck and Archie Manning.
• After retirement, he worked as a color broadcaster for the Oilers radio network, and as the Sports Director of KHOU in Houston.

ACCOLADES:

• College Football Hall of Fame 1984

NOTES:

I had been oddly after Giff for a while. Back when I was a kid, I’d go to Oilers training camp here and there when the team practiced at San Marcos and later in San Antonio. Giff was a sports reporter for one of the Houston stations. He was very engaging with fans, but I didn’t make the connection the first time I went to camp he was a former player or that he had a card. (Remember this is the dark times- before the internet.) After being told he was a former Oiler, I tracked down a card, but never saw him again at camp close enough that I could flag him down for an autograph.

I held onto that Topps ’83 and tried him TTM back in 2022 but didn’t hear back. I reloaded and added the Topps 1982, waiting for another shot that finally came. He’s got a great autograph and signed these two cards from Utah in a bit over a month.